Wagner College football: Finding a quarterback not exactly a snap

Douglas Healey/Staten Island AdvanceMatt Abbey played well last season at quarterback for Wagner, but he's still scrambling for the starting job.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- That the competition at quarterback will go down to the wire -- to tonight's scrimmage against defending Patriot League champion Fordham University in the Bronx -- is good news for Wagner College.

Why?

Try New England's Tom Brady and Indianapolis' Peyton Manning, both of whom have created more than a little anxiety with injuries that have forced them to sit out much of the NFL preseason.

But no matter who earns the starting nod -- two-year starter Matt Abbey, who piloted the Seahawks to a 7-4 2007 season, or Adam Farnsworth, a transfer from the Big Ten's University of Iowa -- Wagner will have an insurance policy against the kind of drop off New England and Indianapolis have been experiencing.

Two insurance policies, according to coach Walt Hameline who refused to rule junior Tyler Newberry out of the competition.

"We have three guys who can play, and I'm extremely confident in all of them," Hameline said, then added: "This is our best situation at quarterback in a number of years."

But more than the quarterback position will be scrutinized tonight, and especially tomorrow when coaches view the scrimmage tapes. "We'll be able to get a good evaluation off a scrimmage against a good opponent," Hameline said. "We'll see where we stand and where we need a lot of work. We'll see which kids can line up and play."

The most obvious question marks are those caused by graduation: running back Jason Butler who ran for 1,713 yards and set a Wagner and Northeast Conference record with 11 consecutive 100-yard games; All-Northeast Conference selections, cornerback Al Phillips and linebacker Bryan Brand; heady weak side linebacker Thomas Larsen, and Piotr Czech, the best punter-kicker in Wagner history who's now with the NFL's Baltimore Ravens.

"Special teams are an area where we have real concerns," Hameline said. "And not just because of Czech. We have a lot of new people there."

Three backs are in the mix to replace Butler: senior Rodney Davis who's coming off a knee injury; soph Shane Smith, a transfer from Central Florida; and freshman Prince Young.

Defensive coordinator Mark Collins is banking on two Staten Islanders to help fill the holes left by graduation.

John Panik, a senior out of Polytech, has the inside track at weak side backer, but is being pressed by Ryan McKilliop, a freshman from Sagua, Calif., while Olatunde Ogunlana, a junior out of Tottenville HS, will start in Brand's place.

Junior Mikah Padah has the unenviable task of replacing Phillips, but is being pressed by junior Ken Johnson. Collins is "confident" he has the pieces in place, but he -- and the rest of the Wagner coaches -- will know better after tonight.

NOTES: The Fordham University staff has a major Wagner/Staten Island connection. Head coach Tom Masella, a Tottenville HS and Wagner College standout as a defensive back, played for Hameline and then stayed on as an assistant for two years, while former New Dorp standout Keith Comeforo, the Rams' secondary coach, had two assistant coaching tours on Grymes Hill.